Linzer cookies are pretty much guaranteed to be the most beautiful cookies on your holiday cookie tray! They're much simpler to make than you might think, and while traditional recipes use nuts I include an option to make these completely nut-free. Recipe also includes a step-by-step video!
⅔cup(67g)almond flour(see note to make these nut free)
1Tablespooncornstarch
½teaspoonsalt
⅓cup(160g)raspberry jam
Powdered sugar for dustingoptional
Instructions
Combine butter, sugars, and cinnamon and use an electric mixer to beat until light and fluffy (at least 30-60 seconds). Stir in vanilla.
1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
In a separate bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, almond flour, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until combined (don’t over-mix, but make sure dough is completely combined).
2 cups all purpose flour, ⅔ cup almond flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
Form dough into 2 discs and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. While dough is chilling, preheat oven 350F (175C).
Once dough has chilled, work with one disc at a time and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a ⅛” thick sheet. Cut into 2 ½” circles (I like to use cookie cutters with scalloped edges) and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart. Use a small heart or star shaped cookie cutter (or, if you don’t have one, just use the larger circular end of a piping tip) to cut designs in the center of half of the cookies.
Bake the cookies with cutouts on a separate tray from the ones without cutouts to ensure even baking. (I usually take the heart cutouts and just re-roll them with the rest of the cookie scraps to make more cookies)
Bake in 350F (175C) preheated oven for 9-10 minutes or cookies are just beginning to turn light golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Once cooled, dust the tops of all of your cookies that have the windows/cutouts. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam on the bottom of your remaining cookies and sandwich with one of your top cookies.
⅓ cup raspberry jam, Powdered sugar for dusting
Video
Notes
Almond Flour
You can make these without almond flour! To do so, omit the almond flour and increase the cornstarch from 1 Tablespoon to 4 Tablespoons (¼ cup or 32g). No other changes are needed.
Filling
You may use different filling if you'd like. Chocolate ganache, dulce de leche, Nutella, or your favorite flavor of jam would work well!
Storing
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or longer in the refrigerator.
Making in Advance
The dough may be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before using. If it's too firm to roll after chilling (and starts to crack) just let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to warm up enough to be rollable.